Heuchera plant named ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’, characterized by its dark reddish-orange and medium green colored foliage, white and reddish-purple colored flowers, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Heuchera x hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant botanically known as Heuchera x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, The Netherlands during the summer of 2016. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Heuchera cultivars with heat tolerance, unique foliage coloration and a mounded growth habit.

The new Heuchera cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Carnival Watermelon’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,803, characterized by its immature foliage color of greyed burgundy-red with a slight silvery overlay and prominent reddish to reddish-brown venation, mature foliage color of greyed-green and prominent green venation, and moderately vigorous and mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during July 2017 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation since July 2017 in Tenjo, Colombia and Bremen, Germany has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Dark reddish-orange and medium green colored foliage;     -   2. White and reddish-purple colored flowers; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having less prominent venation and darker reddish orange with no silvery overlay.

Of the many commercially available Heuchera cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Carnival Peach Parfait’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,928. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Carnival Peach Parfait’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color that is         darker reddish-orange colored than plants of ‘Carnival Peach         Parfait’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage margin that is less         wavy than plants of ‘Carnival Peach Parfait’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that has more         reddish-purple colored calyx and petals than plants of ‘Carnival         Peach Parfait’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’. The plants were approximately nine-months old. The plants were grown for approximately 15 weeks in an outdoor garden-type bed or three-quart containers in an outdoor shade nursery in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth habit of ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in August 2021 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately nine-month-old plants produced from in vitro plantlets and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 1.7-gallon containers for approximately 15 weeks in an outdoor shade nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Inflorescence data was collected from plants of the same age transplanted into an outdoor garden-type shade nursery bed in West Chicago. Prior to transplant plants were grown in liners in a poly-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures ranged from an average high of 79.5° F. (26.4° C.) to an average low of 68.5° F. (20.3° C.), and supplemental lighting was provided daily for five hours during short days. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera x hybrida ‘Carnival Cinnamon     Stick’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘Carnival Watermelon’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             24,803.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation is preferred, divisions are             possible.         -   Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 10 days at             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet in summer.—Approximately             42 days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 10 cm             container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Clump-forming             herbaceous perennial, mounded foliage.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4a (−30° F. to −25° F./−34.4° C. to             −31.7° C.).         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of foliage:             Approximately 20.0 cm. Width: Approximately 54.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes of leaves on             petioles. Number of rosettes per plant: Approximately 8. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Moderately durable to environmental             stresses. Quantity of leaves per rosette: Approximately 12.             Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate to             whorled. Density: Dense.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Blade is at an acute angle to nearly             perpendicular to petiole. Shape: Orbicular. Margin: Crenate             with few and very shallow indentations, moderately lobed,             slightly wavy, ciliate. Apex: Minutely apiculate. Base:             Cordate, sometimes slightly overlapping. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 12.0 cm. Width             of mature leaf: Approximately 12.5 cm. Texture of upper             surface: Dull, very weak rugosity, sparsely pubescent with             short hairs. Texture of lower surface: Slightly glossy,             sparsely pubescent with short hairs. Color of upper surface             of young foliage: Closest to 178A to 178B with base of main             veins of 182B. Color of lower surface of young foliage:             Closest to but lighter than N186D with base of main veins of             182C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to             178A to 178B with 146A to 146B, base of main veins of 182C,             the dark reddish-orange coloration fades during the fall             season and the leaves become predominately 146A to 146B with             base of main veins of 182C. Color of lower surface of mature             foliage: Closest to but lighter than N186D with base of main             veins of 155C, transitioning during the fall season to             closest to but lighter than N186D with N187C and base of             main veins of 155C.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 19.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             147D with an overlay of N186D, overlay is heavier on younger             petioles.         -   Stipules.—Two leafy stipules located at the base of             petioles. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: Closest to N186D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’ flowers once a             year during late spring to midsummer under outdoor             conditions.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Compound spike emerging from the             base of the rosette with two to three cauline leaves.             Density: Sparse. Fragrance: None. Length or height excluding             the peduncle: Approximately 31.5 cm. Width: Approximately             10.0 cm. Quantity of inflorescences per plant:             Approximately 4. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 80.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Erect to approximately             30° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 29.0 cm.             Diameter at midpoint: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: 187A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, campanulate,             self-cleaning. Aspect: Drooping to slightly outward.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Broadly obovate. Length:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland Color: 79A. Color: 187C with upper             third of 70A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Single whorl. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acute. Base: Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glandular pubescent.             Gland color: 79B. Color of upper and lower surfaces when             first and fully open: NN155D with a faint longitudinal             streak of 70B.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Elliptic. Appearance:             Dull. Margin of free portion: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length: Approximately             7.0 mm. Width at rim of hypanthium: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent with             a mixture of glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland Color:             79B. Color of upper surface: NN155D tinted with 70B. Color             of lower surface: NN155D with an overlay of 187C on lower             half and 70B on upper half.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: The pedicel of the             central flower of each spikelet is directly on top of the             secondary pedicel, pedicels of secondary and tertiary             flowers of each spikelet have an average 40° angle from             vertical. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Less than             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of             glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: N186A. Color:             187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 5 per flower.             Anther shape: Bilobed, ovoid. Anther length: Less than             1.0 mm. Anther color: 24B. Filament length: Approximately             3.0 mm. Filament color: NN155D. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: 24A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 2 per flower.             Pistil length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed.             Stigma color: NN155D. Style length: Approximately 6.0 mm.             Style color: NN155D, opaque. Ovary color: NN155C with 160A             at base. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Heuchera has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Carnival Cinnamon Stick’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 